Watch case cover spring

ABSTRACT

A watch case comprising an articulated cover and a wire or strip-spring carried by the case body having the shape of an arc of a circle, which acts as an elastic return member tending to open the cover and as a closing member tending to maintain it closed, the spring being provided with two portions bent out of its plane, the first one of which bears on a bearing surface of the cover situated in the vicinity of its articulation on the case body and thus tends to open the cover, and the second one of which is bent towards the outside and is engaged with the cover to keep it closed, the case carrying a pusher which acts on the second bent portion of the spring for moving it towards the center of the watch case and thus unlock the cover which opens under the effect of the first bent portion of the spring.

United States Patent [191 Vial [4 1 Oct. 16, 1973 WATCH CASE COVER SPRING [75] Inventor:

[73] Assignee: Elvico S.A., Vaud, Switzerland [22] Filed: Sept. 11, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 287,913

Georges Vial, Payerne, Switzerland Primary Examiner-George H. Miller, Jr. A trorney-Kenwood Ross et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A watch case comprising an articulated cover and a wire or strip-spring carried by the case body having the shape of an arc of a circle, which acts as an elastic return member tending to open the cover and as a closing member tending to maintain it closed, the spring being provided with two portions bent out of its plane, the first one of which bears on a bearing surface of the cover situated in the vicinity of its articulation on the case body and thus tends to open the cover, and the second one of which is bent towards the outside and is engaged with the cover to keep it closed, the case carrying a pusher which acts on the second bent portion of the spring for moving it towards the center of the watch case and thus unlock the cover which opens under the effect of the first bent portion of the spring.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures WATCH CASE COVER SPRING The present invention relates to a watch case comprising an articulated cover, on which acts an arcshaped wire-or strip-spring carryed by the case body, and which acts at the same time as an elastic return member tending to open the said cover and as a closing member tending to maintain it closed, atainst the said elastic return action.

Watch cases of the above mentioned type are known per se.

The object of the present invention is to simplify the construction of these watch cases, without jeopardizing the safety of their operation, nor their robustness.

The watch case according to the invention is characterized by the fact the the wireor strip-spring is provided with two portions bent out of its plan, the first one which bears on a bearing surface of the cover situtaed in the vicinity of its articulation on the case body and tends thus to open the cover, and the second one, which is moreover bent outwardly, which is catched to the cover and maintains it closed, the case carrying a pusher permitting to act on the said second bent portion of the spring for moving it towards the center of the watch case and thus unlock the cover which opens under the effect of the first bent portion of the spring.

The drawing shows, by way of example, one embodiment of the object of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a diametrical sectional view, passing through the axis of the winding stem, of a pocket wwatch provided with a cover.

FIG. 2 is a partial axial sectional view of this watch.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a detail, at an enlarged scale.

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of a detail, at an enlarged scale, with a partial sectional view, and FIG. 5 is a partial axial sectional view of this watch, its cover being represented in the open position.

The pocket watch represented comprises a clockwork 1 provided with a winding and setting stem 2, located in a case comprising a case body 3, a bottom 4 catched on the said body, and a glass 5 secured to a besel 6 also catched on the body. This glass is covered with a cover 7 articulated at 8 on the body, at the opposite side of the winding stem 2. This cover is submitted to the action ofa wire-spring 9 which, at the same time, tends to open it and maintain it closed. In the expample as represented, this wire-spring is of round section but it could be on any other section and be, for instance,

a strip-spring. The spring 9, in arc of circle (FIG. 3), which is located in an inner groove 10 of the body 3, is provided, at one of its extremities, with a portion 9a slightly bent on towards the outside of the casing (FIG. 4); this portion 9a is ended by a portion 9b bent at 90 with respect to the plan of the spring (FIG. 1, 4 and S) which passes through a recess 11 provided in the portion 3a (FIG. 1 and 2) of the body 3 and which bears elastically on a bearing surface 12 of the cover 7 in the vicinity of its articulation 8. This portion 9b thus exerts on the bearing surface 12 a force directed according to the arrow 13, which tends to open the cover 7, the portion 9b then rocking, at the end of the displacement, radially towards the outside, that terminates the opening movement of the cover and maintains it in the open position (FIG. 5).

The spring 9 is provided, at a point substantially diametrically opposied to its extremity 9b, with a portion which is bent on the one hand out of the plan of the spring and on the other hand radially towards the outside. This portion 9c passes through a passage 14 provided in the besel 6 of the glass and serves as a closing means for the cover 7 which is catched thereto at 7a (FIG. 1).

The winding stem 2 carries, mounted thereon slidingly, a sleeve 15 which can be moved axially by means of a pressure exerted on the winding crown, which is not represented, that permits to move it towards the center of the movement. This sleeve 15 bears on the portion 90 of the spring 9 and moves it elastically towards the center of the movement, separating this portion 9c from the portion 7a of the cover, which permits the aperture of the cover under the action of portion 9b of the spring 9.

At last, the extremity 9d of the spring is bent laterally towards the outside and is pointed so as to bite in the lateral wall of the groove 10 and thus pervent any rotating movement of the spring 9 in this groove.

As a modification, one could have the portion 9d of the spring 9 bent radially at right angle, this bent portion 9d passing through a recess provided in the bottom of the groove 10.

What I claim is:

1. Watch case comprising: an articulated cover, a wire-spring having the shape of an arc of a circle and carried by the case body and acting first as an elastic return member tending to open the cover and second as a closing memeber tending to close the cover against the elastic return action, the spring operating on the side of the articulation of the cover by torsion and being provided with two portions bent out of its plane, the first portion bearing on a bearing surface of the cover situated in the vicinity of its articulation on the case body and tending to open the cover, the second portion being bent towards the outside and being caught on the cover for closing same, the case carrying a pusher acting on the second bent portion of the spring for moving it towards the center of the watch case and unlocking the cover opening under the effect of the first bent portion of the spring.

2. Watch case as claimed in claim 1, the two bent portions of the spring being diametrically opposed.

3. Watch case as claimed in claim 2, the first bent portion of the spring being situated at one of the extremities thereof.

4. Watch case as claimed in claim 2, the second extremity of the spring being also bent towards the outside for bearing on the wall of an annular recess of the case body in which the spring is located for preventing rotation of the spring on itself. 

1. Watch case comprising: an articulated cover, a wire-spring having the shape of an arc of a circle and carried by the case body and acting first as an elastic return member tending to open the cover and second as a closing memeber tending to close the cover against the elastic return action, the spring operating on the side of the articulation of the cover by torsion and being provided with two portions bent out of its plane, the first portion bearing on a bearing surface of the cover situated in the vicinity of its articulation on the case body and tending to open the cover, the second portion being bent towards the outside and being caught on the cover for closing same, the case carrying a pusher acting on the second bent portion of the spring for moving it towards the center of the watch case and unlocking the cover opening under the effect of the first bent portion of the spring.
 2. Watch case as claimed in claim 1, the two bent portions of the spring being diametrically opposed.
 3. Watch case as claimed in claim 2, the first bent portion of the spring being situated at one of the extremities thereof.
 4. Watch case as claimed in claim 2, the second extremity of the spring being also bent towards the outside for bearing on the wall of an annular recess of the case body in which the spring is located for preventing rotation of the spring on itself. 